Memorial walk planned at Plano Senior: Student remembered for vivid imagination, inspiring others

Kyle Witt stood only 4 ½ feet tall but made a gigantic impact on people he met during his 21 years of life.

Kyle, a Plano Senior High School student who died last month from complications of Hunter syndrome, will be remembered Saturday at a walk held in his memory.

Hunter syndrome is a genetic disease that allows sugars to build up in the body and cause damage to the brain, heart and other organs. The disease affects about 1 in 100,000 males, with the most serious form resulting in a life expectancy of only 15-20 years.

The walk was organized by fellow students, who said they wanted to share the story of their friend with people who never knew him.

Senior Yeesoo Lee said the response from the student body about the walk has been very positive, even among those who never met Kyle. As a result, she believes the walk is going to be a success.

"I think Plano is such a tight-knit community that is based on tradition," Lee said. "Kyle was at Plano for so many years, but a lot of people were not fortunate enough to meet him and have their lives touched by him. Through the walk, and a pamphlet, we are going to share with people about Kyle's life. He was a great Plano Wildcat."

The event was created by senior Daniel Katani, who noted that communicating with Kyle was not always easy, but always ended up being a rewarding experience for all involved.

"[Kyle] liked to do his own thing and was stubborn at times, but we knew what he liked," he said. "Even though he couldn't talk very well, he really showed his emotions and brought out the emotions in other people. He brought out the best in other people."

Kyle's mother, Lynn Witt, said she was amazed when Katani approached her to get her blessing before announcing the walk, adding that she never knew how much Kyle had affected other students.

Lynn said she is glad students got to know her son for who he was, not just as a student in the special needs class. They got to know him as the person who loved fishing, dolphins, baseball, his family and his church.

"Kyle was enthusiastic, genuine and kind of hard-headed," she said. "He was very passionate about the things he loved, and I think his determination helped him get through a lot of what he faced with his illness."

Katani met Kyle through Partners PE, a class that pairs able-bodied students with special needs students.

Cynthia Zea, who teaches the class at Plano, has seen the benefits of the class since her days as a coach at Schimelpfenig Middle School 14 years ago.

"You don't leave the class the same person you were when you entered the class," she said. "It changes you. You think you may have everything right in your world, but when you go in there and work one-on-one with a kid with special needs it changes the way you look at life. ... I don't think there is a heart that is not softer after being in Partners PE class."

Kyle's partner was Scott Bueche, a senior, who said he felt a strong bond with Kyle almost immediately.

"The first couple of days of class we got to meet all of the students, and then we were assigned partners," Bueche said. "I fell in love with Kyle's smile -- whenever you could get one from him -- and told coach Zea that I wanted to be assigned to Kyle."

Lynn said the students made Kyle feel like he was a part of something, unlike many cases where students in situations similar to Kyle's are seen as outsiders.

"Our most recent experience was when we went to the Plano Homecoming parade," she said. "It was phenomenal. Nothing short of 20 people stopped during the parade to say hi to him. Every time we were out somewhere all the kids would stop and say hi, causing his whole face to light up. We never got the feeling that the students thought he was weird."

The event will follow the annual Plano Christmas Parade, which ends at Plano. The walk will begin at 11:30 a.m. at the school's track, with a reception to follow featuring pictures and videos of Kyle. T-shirts are being sold for $10, with the proceeds going to the National MPS Society, a group that funds research for diseases such as Hunter syndrome.

For information, visit facebook.com/wewalkforkyle.





Students comment on friend, inspiration

Megan Flory, senior: "I think it is amazing that people who didn't know Kyle have been affected by him. Going to his memorial service showed me how much life he had. He was so positive and had the most vivid imagination; I thought that was really inspiring."

Yeesoo Lee, senior: "In class you could see how much trouble he had walking, but he wouldn't quit because of his stubbornness. His body had failed him but he kept going."

Scott Bueche, senior: "I found a way to get Kyle up and out of his chair was that I would walk a few steps in front of him. If he could punch me in the back or the arm ... he enjoyed that. He wasn't mad, but every time he could get a punch in he would have a huge smile on his face."

Carly Lemke, senior: "It has been a real eye-opener. You realize that you should always live your life and be happy with each day even though it may be a bad day. I have learned that I really enjoy helping other people."

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